


hook and trigger

by KnifingGale



Category: Ace Combat
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Fighter Pilots, Military, Post-Lighthouse War, Protectiveness, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, non-canon wars
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:21:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27177791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KnifingGale/pseuds/KnifingGale
Summary: All Cole "Shark Bait" Lee wanted was to feel the adrenaline rush in the skies during her emergency combat deployment to the Verusean Civil War. She was perfectly fine with ignoring the occasionally heated emblem bearing three strikes marked on her skin. After all, she knew him. But... he didn't know her. And it would stay that way.(Her soulmate begged to differ.)
Relationships: Trigger/Original Female Character
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	hook and trigger

The rolling roar of white-hot jet engines firing into the air and the hot blast of air shooting past her face left the ever fulfilling sense of success as Cole motioned for the fighter jet to take off with an exaggerated forward motion with the glowing baton in hand directed towards the end of the carrier deck of the OFS Vulture.

This…this was always the best part of her TAD as a “shooter”.

As a rookie, she didn’t get the chance yet to be part of the active duty combat squadron assigned to the aircraft carrier. But in the process, she got something even better.

The chance to be a “shooter”.

And in doing that, she learned a hell of a lot from the ground crew, the yellow, green, and blue jerseys alike.

While the jolt of adrenaline that came with standing so close to a fighter jet and being responsible for the catapult launching the aircraft was certainly something, it paled in comparison to the adrenaline rush that flooded her heart and soul in taking off in a F-35 into the skies.

As she walked towards the end of the carrier deck where she was to inspect the catapult, Cole couldn’t help but sigh.

She missed the days of training in the Osean Naval Defense Force Academy where takeoffs in the Alpha Jets were on a biweekly basis, even when she had to struggle with formation flying.

Idly thinking this, she slipped her hand under the thick material of her jacket and scratched at the still itchy, tingling sensation at her back. It had been days since she first feel this irritable sensation at her back in the same spot.

When she had gotten a good look at it in the mirror while in the showers last night, all she saw was an irritated and reddened patch of skin on her back that felt hot to the touch.

_ Just a rash _ , she thought to herself as she shook her head. Scratching it would only make it worse even though it brought blissful temporary relief.

Maybe one of the mess hall cooks had an accident with the food and caused a bout of food poisoning. Although, she hadn’t heard of any other crew members getting sick from the mess hall good.

Cole looked up at the night sky, only seeing clouds obscuring both the moon and the stars. At times, stargazing was spectacular in the remote, distant seas the aircraft carrier travelled through. However, the moisture from the seas often caused cloud formation that blocked out the stars-

Suddenly, Cole heard a shout behind her. Immediately she twisted around only to feel herself falling back. Her feet kicked back to steady herself only to feel nothing but empty air-

It was only when she suddenly registered the sound of shouts amidst the suddenly louder churning sounds of waves crashing against the carrier’s hull did she finally realize.

She had just walked off the deck of the aircraft carrier.

“Huh.” Cole said as she blinked.

Well, wasn’t that something?

All she could see for the next several seconds was the churning black waters of the ocean before her as she kept on falling and falling-

Yet even as she felt the icy shock of the waters knock her breath from her very lungs, she felt the same sense of calm she did on that fateful day all those years ago. 

The currents of the churning waters pulled her towards the propeller generating such forces as she was yanked back and forth hopelessly like a rag-doll. 

Even though she felt her lungs burn with every second that passed, Cole just couldn’t help but feel nothing. 

There were several last thoughts that were running through her mind.

She had never paid Hooker back on the bet she lost....AIRBOSS would be cussing over her drowned bloated corpse by the end of this-

And somehow, Cole just knew that she had to try.

Because otherwise...AIRBOSS would just call her a hopeless “dumbass” and give her that saddened look he always gave when she wasn’t looking and she wouldn’t able to pay Hooker back...

So she had to _try_. 

Cole felt herself be yanked in the currents generated by the propellers before she finally felt a slight pause and weakness in the forces manipulating her in the water. Seizing it, she kicked and pushed, fighting to move sideways away from the propellers. 

Her vision was dimming with each and every stroke she took until she finally found herself no long pushed down by the currents and her life-jacket forced her to the surface. 

Cole stared out into the now cloudless night sky. The milky way and stars were stretched out across the skies, like a blanket stitched out of stars. At times, she couldn’t help but wonder what deities created such wonders-

“DUMBASS-”

Of course, Cole knew that a god existed on the aircraft carrier OFS Vulture.

And that god was none other than AIRBOSS himself.

“I SWEAR TO ERUSEA’S CRISP WHITE SHEETS, IF YOU DON’T GET THAT STROBE LIGHT ON, I’M GOING TO FISH YOU OUT WITH A HOOK MYSELF-”

Cole laughed as she waved at the visibly small figure of AIRBOSS who had situated himself at the edge of the aircraft carrier deck. 

She certainly didn’t want to become another “Hooker”. That callsign was unfortunate enough as it already was. 

With another angry burst of words from AIRBOSS, she turned on her strobe light and moved to release the shark repellant in her jacket into the water around her. While the water was already dark around her, she didn’t notice a darker pigment flooding the water around her.

Cole looked down at the pouch where the shark repellant was supposed to be stored only to blink. 

Well, wasn’t that a bit unfortunate?

“Uhh, sir…” Cole started with a sheepish laugh, “I don’t think they stored shark repellant in my jacket.” 

“SHARK-” AIRBOSS started before his words were drowned out by the wind picking up. 

Cole blinked. He must have been talking about releasing the shark repellant. 

“Yes, I know!” she called out to have her words be heard even with the wind now howling. 

“SHARK YOU DUMBASS-”

He was really biting into her on not releasing that shark repellant stuff-

Cole’s thoughts paused as she felt something brush against her legs before she felt a sudden nip to her lower leg-

She looked down only to blink once again.

“Huh,” she said, finally realizing what AIRBOSS meant. 

There really was a shark. 

It was only then she finally registered the pain now shooting through her leg and the sudden dark crimson tint in the water around her. 

And then suddenly there were other fins shooting through the water around her. 

“GRAB IT-” Cole looked up at the carrier deck. 

“Sir-” she started questioningly only to find herself staring at a donut flying right towards her. 

Before she could even react, it hit dead on in the head and Cole blinked repeatedly, trying to will away the sparks and stars suddenly flaring in her vision. 

“HOLD-DONUT-DUMBASS-” she heard a familiar angry voice yell out into the air with differing volume registered in her mind. 

Cole looked hazily down at the floating donut before her. It wasn’t a strawberry sprinkles donut but maybe if she held onto it, it would bring her to...what...the other donuts? 

No...that didn’t make sense.

But the voice told her to hold onto the donut. 

And so Cole held on tightly to the floating donut, even as it began to float in the air slowly by the rope dangling from above. 

Suddenly she felt solid ground underneath her and hands held her firmly to the ground. 

Suddenly, there were sudden murmurs and yells surrounding her. 

“When was the last time sharks were even near the carrier?”

“Back during the Lighthouse War…remember that Erusean spy that got thrown overboard?” 

“I swear that this dumbass is shark bait through and through-“ 

“Maybe that should be this rookie’s callsign?”

“Her callsign should be ‘Dumbass’?” she heard the gruff, angry voice from earlier say inquisitively, almost with an amused sort of tone. 

“I meant Shark Bait, AIRBOSS sir.”

“Shark Bait…that works for the baby novice over here.” She heard the voice laugh amusedly with a note of satisfaction in his voice. 

“Hear that, dumbass? You’re Shark Bait now…”

Dazed and hazy, Cole stared up at a grinning AIRBOSS and simply said the words she always uttered whenever she was confused.

“Yes, sir…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In regards to Erusea's "crisp white sheets" bit, I am convinced that the radio audio from the DLC was recorded and eventually spread to the Osean public. And it became a running joke or meme among Oseans towards Erusea. Also, Trigger will be appearing in the next chapter, unless I decide to break it up into two chapters. Thanks for reading!


End file.
